Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-03-19
THE EXPLANATION.

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.sMaud. wish you would not say
that again. I tell you, once for all
Mr.. Lee cannot he anything more
to me than a friend; so if yOn re
spect my wishes in the least yor
will not mention his name to me
again"
Katie Lame flung back her bright
brown cnrlS us she spoke, a little
disdlainiuIly, perhaps. and bent q
little lowerover the piece ofcrochet
ing she held in her hand.
l will not stop to tell you how
handsome she, my heroine, was;
suffice it to say that she was the
belle Of the village of NJ, and
as a matter OF course was sought
after and admired by all the young
men of the place, not only because
she was wittyand accomplished, blt
because Guy Lane VIA, the wealth
lest man in the place An would
one day leave all in the hands OF
Katie.
Maud Anthony laughed low and
triumpllantly as she returned:
"Really, Katie, you need not
speal. 40 augrlly. Everybody thinks
you are going TO marry him, and,
for my part, think he will make
some one IA good husband"
dwell, if you see so many good
qualities about him, why don't you
marry him? When l see fit to get
married | Shalliake whom | please,
despite What every one SAYS"
The curls flew again, and the
sparkling eyes glanced saucily at
the finished coquetto opposite to
her.
oh, no! so my pretty lady is
getting angry, eh9 Ii that's the
case must flee. Only remen Der
that have done my duty. l thought
you ought to know how people are
"You need not trouble yourself,
Miss Anthony, to look after my at
fairs; yon must lave enough Of
YOUR own to look alter. When 1
need your advice | will surely let
YOU know. So bid you good after
noon."
The uueenly little head rose
proudly erect, and with Il scornfnl
expression onller lips Katie walE5tl
quickly away into the shadow of
the shrubbNry of the garden.
AS she walked hastily on, foot
step en- the other side of the hedge
checked her fight, and in Il mo-
ment when Wilkes Lee, the sub
iect of the conversation under the
elms, scrambled up into sight,with-
ont seeming to have seen Katie,
and FASTENED away.
Tile strange little heart Of Katie
gave a sudden start as she recog-
nized her old friend and-loyer,
and she paused, murmuring:
81 wonder if he heard what we
said? | wouldn't have had him for
all the world! A plague OH Maud
Anthony! She forced me to say 1t,
| suppose she is glad, too, for now
she thinks that | don't care for
him."
For a moment Katie was silent.
as she worked nervously at the
petty diamond ring that enclrcled
her finger. 1t was "a betrothal ring
IA gift from Wilkes.
81 don't care!" she Mt last broke
out. poutlng. Now that I've said
it LII show Miss AuthonyI mean
it. There" as she drew the dia
mond from her finger and cast IT
into the bushes, lie there and rust
for all | care! Much good may it
do you, Maud. too. You can catc.'
him, | know, but what do careY
More than you think my pretty
heroine, as we shall see.
A moment Katie stood there,
looking i'll the direction of the
hedge; then clapping her hands to
her face she burst into tears. On
tile other side OF the hedge Wilkes
Lee strobe quickly away, saying,
Sheepishly:
'.Well, we'll, a pretty scrape you
came near getting into, my boy
Didn't mean to be an eavesdropper
certainly; accidents will happen
YOU know. So she don't care fol
you, eh2 Well see. III warrant
she don't know her OWL heart now
L think I'll run away a few days
and let her get over her fit.'
The young man disappeared il
the underbrush that lined the road
| leaped the fence, and was soon lost
to view in the distance.
Katie waited patiently for many
days for the visit other once arden
lover, and then, concluding that ht
had not only overheard what sht
had said that day in the garden, but
had taken her at her word, COM
menced not to look alone, but t.
mourn him as lost to her indeed.
And Maud Anthony, to whom
all this was due, rejoiced tina
Wilkes seemed to have suddeDl,
ceased to visit the Lanes,and strov'
with renewed efforts to entanglt
the handsome yonng fellow 10
Wilkes Lee WAS considered the bes
catch the village afforded. Blu
with all the pleasing ways she coul'
effect, Wilkes seemed impregnabl'